In brief
In late April 2026, unusually torrential rains swept across the southwestern United States, breaking several hundred hoodoo formations in New Mexico. State agencies urged visitors to stay away from the destabilized terrain while geologists assess the rapid rock loss, which has already disrupted local tourism and raised concerns about long‑term landscape change.
On April 9, 2026, the Associated Press reported that heavy rains across the southwestern United States had collapsed dozens of hoodoo rock formations in New Mexico, creating a landscape of broken pillars and eroded cliffs. The floods stemmed from a storm that began on July 18, turning dry washes into raging streams and washing away the erosion‑prone shoulders that has long supported many of the spires.
The collapse has struck areas around Taos and neighboring communities, where residents witnessed sandstone columns crumble into wide gaps. In several towns the sudden loss of these iconic cliffs has altered both the scenery and the local economy, which depends on hiking and sightseeing tourism. State agencies issued warnings that the terrain is now unstable and advised residents and visitors to avoid exposed formations within the National Forests and roadside parks.
According to the Associated Press, scientists are now examining the speed and magnitude of the erosion, prompted by the dramatic reshaping of the region’s dramatic geology. Geology students and climate researchers are studying how wetter conditions accelerate the breakdown of ancient sedimentary formations. The event follows a series of weather extremes earlier this summer, underscoring the vulnerability of desert landscapes to heavy precipitation.
While the new rubble has temporarily shut down many hiking trails, authorities hope that ongoing monitoring will determine whether the altered landscape will settle into a new, stable configuration. The flood also flooded roads and disrupted travel through the southwestern United States, adding to the region’s unrest.
Local officials and visitors alike are watching the situation closely as they try to understand what the collapse means for future preservation of the region’s natural heritage. The Associated Press will report any updates on the impact of the weather event on tourist activity and on the scientific assessment of the hoodoo formations’ stability.